Neuroscie
The Subtle Power of Self-Deprecating Humor
Summary: Self-deprecating humor, when used thoughtfully, can help people regulate emotions, build trust, and foster connection—especially in therapeutic settings. Far from being purely negative, this type of humor signals humility,…
How Psilocybin Lifts Mood Without the Hallucinogenic Trip
Summary: Researchers have uncovered two key brain mechanisms—specific neurons and a serotonin receptor—that help explain how psilocybin produces long-lasting antidepressant effects. Their study identified pyramidal tract neurons in the medial…
Autism-Linked Gene Alters Face Perception in Dogs
Summary: A new study shows that Beagle dogs with mutations in the autism-linked Shank3 gene exhibit face processing abnormalities similar to those seen in humans with ASD. Using behavioral tests,…
Listening Builds Trust, But Stories Change Minds
Summary: A new study challenges the widely held belief that high-quality, nonjudgmental listening is essential for persuasion. While good listening improves how people feel about a conversation and reduces defensiveness,…
Life
Nature
Newfound bat skeletons are the oldest on record
Two fossilized bat skeletons unearthed in western Wyoming represent a new species and are the oldest set of bat bones yet discovered, researchers say. The incredibly complete fossils of Icaronycteris…
Astronomy
Four space tourists return to Earth after a private flight over the poles
In this image from video provided by SpaceX, a Dragon capsule carrying four space tourists prepares to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday,…
A chance alignment in Lupus
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker The subject of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week is the stunning spiral galaxy NGC 5530. NGC 5530 is situated 40…
Rising odds asteroid that briefly threatened Earth will hit moon
Scientists are now hoping that the asteroid will smash into the Moon. A huge asteroid that was briefly feared to strike Earth now has a nearly 4% chance of smashing…
